The North Bergen, NJ, company, which employs 240, enjoyed a solid 2010 with sales in the $30 million range. Much of that success, from a heavy-iron standpoint, can be attributed to its trio of large-format KBA presses: two six-color, 81˝ Rapida 205s with coaters; and a six-color, 64˝ Rapida 162 with coater. The most recent Rapida 205, installed in 2008—making Edison the first North American printer operating two 81˝ KBA presses—is equipped with a custom plastics package with full UV interdeck drying system and back cylinder chillers. Edison’s pressroom also includes an eight-unit, 38˝ Nebiolo heatset web press.

Money Is in Makereadies

Joe Ostreicher, COO, notes that the KBA sheetfeds (all of which have been installed in the last five years) have significantly whittled down job make- ready times that used to consume hours. He believes the presses also fulfill the need for the G7-qualified printer to attain perfection within the large-format color and quality realms. And multiple large-format sheetfed presses, he adds, provide an advantage that many competitors, and almost no trade printers, can match.

“The fact that we have two 81˝ presses puts us in a different league,” Ostreicher contends. “One plus one does not equal two. If a rush job comes in, we can put it on-press almost immediately. Within hours, we can process, proof and print your job.”

Roger Morel, quality control manager at Edison Litho, also points to the 205 UV press’ capability to print on plastics and canvas—virtually any substrate. Working in tandem with UV ink manufacturers, Edison Litho is constantly testing to find new possibilities for customers.

Needless to say, serving both direct clients and other printers, while offering such a wide breadth of product and service capabilities in quick-turnaround fashion, dictates that materials be available immediately. That was Edison’s driving force behind the decision to acquire a 64˝ GMC sheeter some years ago.